Method of and apparatus for unloading boats, barges, and like vessels



Sept. 15, 1931. K. SQHON 1,823,172

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING BOATS,

BARGES, AND LIKE VESSELS Filed Aug. 16, 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVENTOR.

\ an" I TTORNEY.

Sept. 15, 1931. 1,823,172

K. SCHGN METHOD'OF AND APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING BOATS,

BARGES, AND LIKE VESSELS Filed Aug. 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY E I ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNETED STATES PATENT QFFFCE KARL SCHN', OF WUERZBURG, GERMANY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING BOATS, BARGES, AND LIKE VESSELS Application filed August 16, 1927, Serial No. 213,362, and in Germany April 8, 1926.

after the vessel has been floated thereinto,

against the outer water, and tilting said trough in situ after or during the removal of the water contained therein.

A desirable embodiment of the apparatus is characterized by the fact that the trough is mounted in a cylindrical, hollow member which is supported on wheels or rolls in a water basin, fioats therein and is tilted by means of a drive mechanism. The hollow member carries a removable slide which is inclined according to the discharge angle of the freight and which, when tilted, establishes communication between the hold of the vessel and the chamber into which the freight is received.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a cross sectional elevation of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 with the apparatus in an unloading position; and

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure l.

The tilting cylinder at floats in a water basin Z2 and carries the lighter trough proper 0 interiorly. The trough 0 communicates directly with the river or canal water and may be closed off therefrom by means of gates, doors or the like as shown at n.

The under side of rotary cylinder 0. has a gear crown d meshing with a winch drive 6. Guide rolls are provided at the side opposite to the winch mechanism. Cylinder a is provided above with a slide 9 inclined according to the discharge angle of the freight, the part it of said slide, directed toward the trough, being movably mounted. Trough c is provided laterally and at the bottom with resilient supports 2' and on one side with movably arranged grappling hooks the rotary cylinder by any suitable pump 9.

The lighter then rests on the resilient supports 5 on the bottom of the trough or against those at the sides. The grappling hooks 7c are passed over the sides of the lighter, and

tightened over the transverse bulkheads by means or" wooden wedges, and the lower part of slide it is advanced toward the hold of the lighter.

Cylinder a is rotated into the position of.

Fig. 2 by means of the winch mechanism and the freight is discharged into the hopper Z. The lighter may then be returned to its initial position, and removed in a reverse series of operations.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for unloading vessels comprising a channel including a trough mounted to tilt above a fixed axis and adapted to hold a body of liquid sulficient to float a loaded vessel, means for separating the trough from the remainder of the channel, means to hold the vessel in the trough, and means to tilt the trough to a position in which the vessel empties its load.

2. Apparatus for unloading vessels, comprising a channel having a separable section adapted to contain a vessel, means to separate water in the section from that in the re mainder of the channel, and means to rotate the section, to move the vessel to an unloading position.

3. Apparatus for unloading vessels, comprising a channel having a separable section adapted to contain a vessel, means to separate water in the section from that in the remainder of the channel, means to rotate the section, to move the vessel to an unloading position, and a body of liquid supporting the rotary means.

4. Apparatus for unloading vessels comprising a buoyant element adapted to support a vessel, a body of liquid supporting the element, and means to rotate the vessel to an unloading position, while the element is so supported.

5. Apparatus for unloading vessels comprising a rotary buoyant element adapted to support a vessel, a body of Water supporting the element and a chute connected to rotate with the element and disposed to receive material I from the vessel when the element is rotated to a position in which the vessel is 19 tilted to an unloading osition.

6. Apparatus for un oading vessels comprising a rotary buoyant element adapted to support a vessel, '3; body of liquid supporting the element, and means including rack and 15 gears torotatetheelement Wherebyto unload the-vessel.

In-testi-mony whereofI have afiixed my signature.

'KARL SCHCN. r 

